Toy block.



No. 756,625. PATENTBD APR. 5, 1904.

H. BJHAEFELE.

TOY BLOCK.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented April 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HANNAH B. I-IAEFELE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TOY BLOCK- SPEGIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 756,625, d t d A il 5, 1904,

Application filed September 10, 1903.. Serial No. 172,540. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HANNAH B. HAEFELE, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toy Blocks,

of which the following is a description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in toy blocks, and has for its object to produce devices of this kind which while containing figures interesting to the child will be practicallyindestructible and when having the figures colored the coloring- 5 matter will be so far removed from the surface as to be beyond the reach of the child, so that danger of the child getting such coloringmatter in its mouth is entirely avoided.

A further object is to produce toy blocks having figures out entirely through the wall thereof.

A further object is to furnish such a toy block having figures cut entirely through its walls, with a colored filling either permanent 5 or removable.

Another object of this invention is to provide pictures on the colored surfaces showing through the openings out through the walls of the hollow block. 7

3 With the above and other objects in view my invention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a perspective view of ahollow block involving one embodiment of invention in which the walls are provided with openings entirely therethrough, formingsuitable figures. Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevation,

4 partly in section, of a block involving another embodiment of my invention, wherein a hollow block similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided with an inner filling-block to show colors through the figured openings of the hollow block. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a block similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but provided with a removable wall in order that the inner filling-block may be removed or turned to change the colors showing through 5 the different figured openings; and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a block embodying a further modification of my invention,wherein the colored surface of the inner filling-block showing through the figured openings of the hollow block are provided with pictorial representations.

In the drawings, 6 represents a hollow block formed, preferably, of wood pieces suitably nailed or glued together, but which block may be made of cardboard or any other suitable 9 material and which is desirably of a cube shape, as shown, with one or more of its walls provided with openings 7, extending entirely therethrough and. shaped to outline suitable figures, such as animals, numerals, letters, 5 &c. The block so formed may be devoid of color, if desired, but is preferably provided with coloring-matter on its interior, each wall thereof being of a color different from the others or all of the same color, as pre- 7 ferred. It is obvious that when so colored the figures outlined by the openings cut in the walls of the block will appear to be of such colors, and where the coloring of the several walls is diiferent the said figures by being made to assume various positions on turning the block will have portions thereof show in different colors. For instance, as shown in Fig. 1, the opening representing a dog may be made to show the body portion thereof in black, the coloring on the back of the wall containing the numeral 3 and the tail portion in brown, the coloring on the back of the bottom wall.

In combination with the above I may pro- 5 vide an inner filling of any suitable material or shape, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, by the numeral 8, which is here shown to be a block closely fitting within the hollow block 6 and preferably having on its several faces 9 a coloring which will appear through the figured openings 7. It is desirable that the coloring on the several faces of the fillingblock 8 should be different and that the said block should be capable of being turned so as to change the coloring showing through the figured openings, and to this end I may, as shown in Fig. 4, provide one of the walls of the hollow block 6 with a sliding connection 9, so that it may be removed from the re- I00 block as a whole may greatly change by changing the position of the filling-block 8, as described, with relation to the form shown in Fig. 4:. In all cases the hollow blocl; 6

may be left in its natural state without coloring-matter, if desired, or may be suitably coated with an insoluble coating, and by the particular arrangement whereby the coloringmatter is distant from the surface of the block proper the, danger of a child getting such colored matter within its mouth is entirely avoided, and the block is thereby rendered perfectly harmless without depriving it of its attractive nature due to the coloring employed.

In order to give the device a greater value as a toy for small children, I may provide the hollow filling-block 8 with some suitable sounding means, such as metal balls 10, as shown in Fig. 3, which on being brought Violently into contact with the walls of the inner block by shaking said block produce a sharp rattling sound.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. A hollow toy block having in one or more of its walls openings extending entirely therethrough, said openings being shaped to form instructive figures.

2. Ahollow toy block having in one or more of its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough and a filling within the block having one or more distinctive colors showing through the figured opening or openlngs.

3. A hollow toy or block having in one or more of its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough, and a removable filling within the block having one or more distinctive colors showing through the figured opening or openings.

4. A hollow toy block having in one or more of its walls figured openings entirely therethrough a filling within the block having thereon suitable pictures showing through the figv ured openings.

5. A hollow toy block having in one or more of its walls openings extending entirely therethrough, said block being colored on its interior whereby the coloring shows through the figured openings of the walls thereof.

6. A hollow toy block having in one or more of its walls openings extending entirely therethrough, said walls each having on its interior a distinctive coloring whereby such colorings are made to appear through the figured openings.

7 A hollow toy block having in its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough, and a filling-block within the hollow block having. a colored surface showing through the figured openings of the hollow block.

8. A hollow toy block having in its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough and a filling-block within the hollow block having a distinctive coloring on each face showing through the figured openings, said filling-block being removable from the hollow block.

9. A hollow toy block having in its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough and a filling-block within the hollow block having a distinctive color on each face showing through the figured openings, one of the walls of the hollow block being removable whereby the position of the filling-block may be changed to alter the colors showing through the several figured openings.

10. A hollow toy block having in its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough and a filling-block within the hollow block having pictures on its faces adapted to show through the figured openings.

11. Ahollow toy block having figured openings in its walls extending entirelyv therethrough, and means for showing a coloring through said figured openings, the coloring showing through the figured openings being capable of being changed.

12. A hollow toy block having in its walls figured openings extending entirely therethrough, a filling-block within the hollow block having coloring on its walls showing through the figured openings of the hollow block, and a sounding device, contained within the filling-block.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' HANNAH B. HAEFELE.

Witnesses:

O. T. BENEDICT, ALMA KLUG.

IOC

IOG 

